Department for Transport

Railway Stations: Greater London

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much has been spent from the Access for All programme to improve the accessibility of railway stations in London.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Since the programme was launched in 2006 more than £120m has been spent in London under Access for All. This is in addition to access improvements funded by Transport for London or the train operating companies, as well as major projects such as Thameslink or Crossrail.

Rolling Stock

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of new trains on delays on franchised routes.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Franchised operators have performance targets within their Franchise Agreement which they are required to meet regardless of whether they use new or existing rolling stock.

Ministry of Defence

European Fighter Aircraft

lord campbell of pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the purpose of Project Centurion which is being undertaken by the Royal Air Force; how long it will take; and how much it will cost.

earl howe: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Minesweepers

lord campbell of pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their policy towards the use of unmanned overboard systems in Mine Counter Measures operations.

earl howe: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Minesweepers

lord campbell of pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what opportunities there are for increased interoperability between NATO members in Mine Counter Measures operations.

earl howe: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Garden Bridge

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to ask the Competition and Markets Authority to investigate whether the procurement processes described in Dame Margaret Hodge's review of the proposed London Garden Bridge, published on 7 April, comply with best practice for government-funded projects.

lord prior of brampton: The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) makes independent decisions on what to investigate. If there is information suggesting that anti-competitive collusion or abuse of dominant position might have occurred, it can be shared with the CMA. The CMA will consider whether there are matters that should be investigated under its enforcement powers.

Security Guards: Conditions of Employment

lord harris of haringey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the recent ruling in respect of the employment status of Uber drivers on the security industry; and what is their assessment of the use of zero-hour or self-employment contracts in the security industry.

lord prior of brampton: The Government cannot comment on individual cases. The Government has not made any assessment of the use of zero-hour or self-employment contracts in the security industry.The availability of atypical or non-standard forms of employment provide a number of benefits for workers who cannot or do not want to commit to ‘standard’ full-time employment. This Government is absolutely clear that employers must take their employment law responsibilities seriously and cannot simply opt out of their responsibilities. We believe everyone deserves to be treated fairly at work.

Public Houses

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made implementing and enforcing the pubs code.

lord prior of brampton: The Office of the Pubs Code Adjudicator (PCA) is up and running. Tenants are raising issues and queries with the PCA via the helpline and website, and referring cases to him under the Pubs Code. On 21 April 2017, Paul Newby, the PCA, announced the latest figures on completed arbitration cases. The total number of cases in which the Adjudicator has made awards is 25, including the five cases announced on 9 March 2017. The PCA currently has 97 cases at different stages within the arbitration process.

Automation

lord wei: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the impact on jobs of increasing automation, what steps they are taking to (1) assess new types of work which may arise, (2) stimulate new businesses, and (3) encourage the adjustment of workplace training, to accommodate new technologies.

lord prior of brampton: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Energy: Meters

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in relation to their target for the installation of smart meters, whether they will report on the quality of the training and certification of installers of those meters.

lord prior of brampton: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. I will correspond directly with the noble Baroness.

Energy: Meters

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will review the smart meter programme to ensure that safety requirements are being met in relation to consumers.

lord prior of brampton: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. I will correspond directly with the noble Baroness.

Energy: Meters

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of (1) the training and qualification of installers of smart meters, and (2) the sufficiency and independence of the system of oversight, in the light of the need to ensure consumer safety.

lord prior of brampton: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. I will correspond directly with the noble Baroness.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Sudan: Press Freedom

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Sudan regarding the abduction andtorture of the journalist Phil Cox and the translator Daoud Hari; and, whether they intend to raise the treatment of those two individuals with the EU and the UN Human Rights Council.

baroness anelay of st johns: ​Our staff in Khartoum and London worked relentlessly to make sure Mr Cox's welfare was protected and his case was handled quickly and fairly. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers raised his case at senior levels in the Sudanese government. The UK takes all allegations of mistreatment of British Nationals very seriously and expresses its deep concern at the allegations raised by Mr Cox. The British Embassy in Khartoum raised our concerns about the allegations with the Government of Sudan and have requested that a thorough, independent and impartial investigation is undertaken. On the treatment of Mr Daoud Hari, as he is not a British National, it is not within our consular remit to raise allegations of his mistreatment with the Government of Sudan.

Darfur: Chemical Weapons

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to establish whether chemical weapons have been used against the civilian population in Darfur.

baroness anelay of st johns: The OPCW asked the Government of Sudan, as a State Party to the Chemical Weapons Convention, to share all relevant information, and offered its assistance in any investigation. The Sudanese authorities have since reported to the OPCW that their national investigations have found no evidence of chemical weapon use in the Jebel Marra region. Separately, we continue to press the Government of Sudan, most recently at the UK-Sudan Strategic Dialogue on 29 March, to allow the AU/UN Peacekeeping Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) unrestricted access to all parts of Darfur.

Egypt: Christianity

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports that Egypt's Grand Mufti,Shawki Allam, has identified 3,000 fatwasinciting the destruction of churches in Egypt; and, what support they are providing to the Grand Mufti and the government of Egypt to identify and combat sources of extremism.

baroness anelay of st johns: The UK Government welcomes any efforts to counter extremist ideology, including those of Egypt's Dar al-Ifta, and is strongly supportive of the Egyptian Government's commitment to protect the rights of minorities and promote religious tolerance.The UK has also been working with al-Azhar university in Egypt for ten years. The aim of this work is to help develop a new generation of religious leaders who are equipped to build dialogue across different cultures and religions, and confront extremism. The work includes English teaching, debating skills training, and a postgraduate scholarship scheme.

North Korea: Terrorism

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Anelay of St Johns on 5 April (HL6328), what discussions they have had with the investigating authorities to determine whether the DPRK's actions constitute an act of terrorism under the UK's domestic legal definition.

baroness anelay of st johns: These cases have been investigated in the Republic of Korea (ROK) by the relevant ROK authorities. It is for the ROK authorities to determine if these cases involve terrorist acts, in line with the relevant legal framework.

Korea National Insurance Corporation

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 3 February (HL4923), whether they have anything to add to their reply about the activities of the Korea National Insurance Corporation; whether they believe that the activities of that Corporation are licit and lawful and whether they believe funds generated by the Corporation have aided the government of North Korea in the development of its nuclear weapons programme.

baroness anelay of st johns: ​The UK has complied with all provisions of the EU designation of Korea National Insurance Company (KNIC). The decision to sanction individuals or entities is taken on a case by case basis in line with evidence. The EU designated the London office of the KNIC on 28 April 2016 and since then the UK has taken the appropriate actions to sanction the firm.

Andy Hall

baroness goudie: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assistance they are providing to the British human rights activist Andy Hall who was convicted of defamation and computer crimes in Thailand in September 2016.

baroness anelay of st johns: We provided Andrew Hall with the appropriate levels of consular assistance at the time of his arrest and during his trial in Thailand.

United Nations: Public Appointments

baroness hodgson of abinger: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many appointments, other than as employees, to UN committees and agencies are held by representatives or citizens nominated by the UK; and what are those positions.

baroness anelay of st johns: The 2016/2017 UN Handbook shows that there is one UK citizen on each of the following seven UN and UN agency committees:Committee on Contributions;International Law Commission;UN Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals;Committee of Experts on International Cooperation in Tax Matters;International Court of Justice;Sub Committee on the Prevention of Torture (sub-committee of the Committee Against Torture);Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf.

Internet: British Indian Ocean Territory

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty’s Government who authorised the decision to allocate the British Indian Ocean Territory its own internet country code through IANA, operating under the domain name of .io.

baroness anelay of st johns: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Internet: British Indian Ocean Territory

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they were consulted in relation to any matter connected with the operation of the .io internet domain.

baroness anelay of st johns: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Internet Computer Bureau

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they indicated to the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) that they approved, and continue to approve of, the company Internet Computer Bureau, which is the Registry for the .io internet domain; and who are the beneficial owners of Internet Computer Bureau.

baroness anelay of st johns: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Internet: British Indian Ocean Territory

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the finding in the Internet Watch Foundation 2016 Annual Report, published on 3 April, that child abuse images were found on web sites within the .io internet domain.

baroness anelay of st johns: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Internet: British Indian Ocean Territory

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Chagossian people benefit in any way from the revenues derived from the .io country code which represents the British Indian Ocean Territory.

baroness anelay of st johns: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Nigeria: Human Rights

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest assessment of the human rights situation in Nigeria.

baroness anelay of st johns: ​Boko Haram have committed horrendous atrocities against communities in Nigeria and the wider region. We estimate that over 20,000 people have been killed by the group. The Nigerian armed forces have severely weakened Boko Haram, but the group remains a threat to security in the region. We remain committed to supporting Nigeria and its neighbours in the fight against Boko Haram and are providing a package of military and intelligence support.We are also concerned by credible reports of human rights violations by the Nigerian security forces and the accidental bombing by the Nigerian Air Force in January of a camp for displaced people in Rann. We continually make clear to the Nigerian authorities the importance of upholding human rights standards for all, including protecting civilians in conflict areas and detention. The military support that we are providing is designed not only to counter terrorism, but also to improve human rights standards.We welcome President Buhari's commitment to improve the human rights situation, for example, his commitment to overhaul the Nigerian armed force's rules of engagement and to ensure that human rights violations by the security forces are investigated and appropriate action is taken. We also welcome the news that the Nigerian Air Force has launched an investigation into the tragic incident in Rann. Nevertheless, despite these positive steps, more needs to be done. We continue to work with the Nigerian government, non-governmental organisations and civil society to improve the security situation and human rights for all in Nigeria.

Yemen: Human Rights

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest assessment of the human rights situation in Yemen.

baroness anelay of st johns: We are deeply concerned by recent developments relating to the Baha’i community in Yemen. The Houthis and all parties in Yemen must respect the freedom of religion and the rights of all Yemenis.

Burma: Human Rights

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest assessment of the human rights situation in Myanmar.

baroness anelay of st johns: Despite considerable progress towards improving the rule of law in Burma in recent years, we remain deeply concerned about ongoing human rights violations by the military in Burma. These include violations of civil and political rights, conflict-related violations including sexual violence, and widespread and systematic discrimination against Muslims in Rakhine State. I raised concerns with the Burmese authorities about a range of human rights issues when I visited in November with a focus on conflict related sexual abuses and Rakhine. The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Mr Johnson) made representations at the highest levels to both the civilian and military administration when he visited in January. In addition to political advocacy, the UK co-sponsored a Resolution at the Human Rights Council in March raising international concerns and mandating a UN Fact Finding Mission to look into the recent reports of widespread human rights violations in Rakhine State. We also fund project work through NGOs in Burma that provide practical support to promote human rights on the ground.

Somalia: Human Rights

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest assessment of the human rights situation in Somalia.

baroness anelay of st johns: ​The human rights situation in Somalia continues to be blighted by serious violations and abuses perpetrated by state and non state actors. A 2016/2017 electoral process resulted in a peaceful transfer of power, and increased representation of women in parliament. However, there were increased Al Shabaab attacks in the electoral period, including against civilians. 2016 saw a marked increase in the number of children involved in armed conflict, and frequent reports of civilian casualties in armed conflict. Sexual violence remains endemic. Access to justice remains very restricted. The Committee to Protect Journalists' annual Impunity Index named Somalia, for the second time in 2016, as the worst place in the world to be a journalist. The death penalty continues to be applied and carried out.

White Helmets

lord eames: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the value of the White Helmets in humanitarian work in the Syrian conflict.

baroness anelay of st johns: Syria Civil Defence (SCD), also known as the White Helmets, plays an invaluable role in rescuing people from the devastation caused by Syrian and Russian air and missile strikes. The 107 SCD teams, of over 3100 volunteer women and men, deliver community-based services to approximately four million Syrian civilians living in opposition-controlled areas. To date they have saved over 85,000 lives and conducted extensive mine risk awareness campaigns to help civilians protect themselves from unexploded ordnance. 167 SCD volunteers have been killed and another 480 seriously injured while carrying out their life-saving work.

White Helmets

lord eames: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much financial assistance was provided by the UK to the White Helmets in (1) 2015–16, and (2) the current year to date.

baroness anelay of st johns: Syria Civil Defence is funded by a group of Western nations, including the UK. We have provided almost £30 million since we first began work with SCD in 2013, including contributions of around £11 million in 2015-16 and around £11 million in 2016-17. HMG will contribute a further £8.2 million in 2017-18. The United States, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark also provide funding to SCD.

White Helmets

lord eames: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how the activities of the White Helmets in Syria are observed and analysed; and by whom.

baroness anelay of st johns: Her Majesty's Government monitors the work of the Syria Civil Defence (SCD) through frequent contact with our implementing partner and receives regular reporting including specific incident reports, weekly reports, and quarterly project reports. The activities of SCD are also monitored and evaluated by our implementing partner; through independent audits; and through third party monitoring. These reports and continuing monitoring contribute to HMG's work to ensure due diligence, evaluation and accountability for project delivery.HMG is not aware of reported attacks on civilians by the White Helmets. While all allegations of human rights abuses are treated seriously, HMG notes that the Syrian regime and Russia sought to discredit Syria Civil Defence through a concerted disinformation campaign. HMG remains steadfast in our support to the 3100 women and men of Syria Civil Defence who continue to risk their lives to save lives and make their communities more resilient.

White Helmets

lord eames: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what reports they have received on the activities of the White Helmets in Syria; what are the sources of such reports; and what action was taken as a result.

baroness anelay of st johns: Her Majesty's Government (HMG) monitors the work of the Syria Civil Defence (SCD) through frequent contact with our implementing partner. We receive regular reporting, including specific incident reports, weekly reports, and quarterly project reports. The activities of SCD are also monitored and evaluated by our implementing partner; through independent audits; and through third party monitoring. These reports and continuing monitoring contribute to HMG's work to ensure due diligence, evaluation and accountability for project delivery.HMG is not aware of reported attacks on civilians by the White Helmets. While all allegations of human rights abuses are treated seriously, HMG notes that the Syrian regime and Russia have sought to discredit Syria Civil Defence through a concerted disinformation campaign. HMG remains steadfast in our support to the 3100 women and men of Syria Civil Defence who continue to risk their lives to save others.

White Helmets

lord eames: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reported attacks on civilians in Syria by the White Helmets.

baroness anelay of st johns: Her Majesty's Government (HMG) is not aware of reported attacks on civilians by the White Helmets. While all allegations of human rights abuses are treated seriously, HMG notes that the Syrian regime and Russia sought to discredit Syria Civil Defence (SCD) through a concerted disinformation campaign. HMG remains steadfast in our support to the 3100 women and men of Syria Civil Defence who continue to risk their lives to save lives and make their communities more resilient.HMG monitors the work of SCD through frequent contact with our implementing partner and receives regular reporting including specific incident reports, weekly reports, and quarterly project reports. The activities of SCD are also monitored and evaluated by our implementing partner; through independent audits; and through third party monitoring. These reports and continuing monitoring contribute to HMG's work to ensure due diligence, evaluation and accountability for project delivery.

Egypt: Christianity

baroness berridge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Egypt regarding the bombings of the Coptic churches in Alexandria and Tanta in April.

baroness anelay of st johns: We strongly condemn the recent attacks in Egypt against the Coptic Christian community, claimed by Daesh. The Government of Egypt has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the rights of minorities and to the need to promote religious tolerance. We welcome President Sisi's calls for peaceful coexistence and the Government of Egypt's expression of support for the rights of Christians and for religious tolerance.The UK Government continues to work closely with the Egyptian authorities on security and counter-terrorism.

Egypt: Christianity

baroness berridge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions, or meetings, they have had with (1) Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria, and (2) the leadership of the Coptic Church in the UK, regarding the bombings of the Coptic churches in Alexandria and Tanta in April.

baroness anelay of st johns: ​We strongly condemn the recent attacks on the Coptic Christian community in Egypt, claimed by Daesh. Her Majesty's ambassador to Egypt, John Casson, met Pope Tawadros II on 22 April and offered his condolences. I regularly meet Bishop Angaelos, Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the UK, and passed on my sincere condolences following the abhorrent recent attacks. The British Government is committed to working with international partners, including Egypt, to strengthen the protection of freedom of religion or belief.

Gaza: Electricity

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel and the UN concerning the restoration of electricity supplies to Gaza.

baroness anelay of st johns: The UK is in regular discussion with Israel, the Palestinian Authority (PA), the UN and the EU about Gaza’s energy crisis. We are not aware of a decrease in electricity supply from Israel. However we regularly call on both Israel and the PA to swiftly implement key infrastructure projects that will increase the electricity supply to Gaza.

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel regarding reports of the desecration of Islamic sites in the occupied Palestinian territories by Israeli settlers, during the Jewish Passover holiday.

baroness anelay of st johns: ​While we have not raised this specific issue with the Israeli authorities, we have repeatedly raised our concerns about incidents of settler violence and intimidation, and have stressed the importance of thorough investigations and accountability.

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel regarding the conditions for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

baroness anelay of st johns: ​We have not made recent representations to the government of Israel on this issue. We note Israel’s recent commitment that prisoners and detainees are treated humanely and in accordance with international law.

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel following the shooting by Israeli police officers of the activist Muhammad Amira.

baroness anelay of st johns: While we have not raised this issue with the Israeli authorities, the UK has repeatedly made clear to Israel our longstanding concerns about the manner in which the Israel Defence Forces polices non-violent protests and the border areas, including use of lethal and non-lethal ammunition.

Kemal Hawwash

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what support they are giving to Professor Kemal Hawwash of Birmingham University who has been denied access to both Israel and the Occupied Palestinian territories and is unable to visit his family.

baroness anelay of st johns: Our Embassy in Tel Aviv provided consular assistance to Mr Hawwash when he was denied entry to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian territories on 7 April. We will continue press for clarification from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the implications of the law. The UK is strongly opposed to the Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions Movement against Israel. But we believe the best way to combat this movement is through discussion rather than legislation. Ultimately it is for Israel to decide its immigration policy.

Israeli Settlements

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel regarding the reported piping of sewage by Israeli settlers from Carmel, onto the land of Umm Al Kheir.

baroness anelay of st johns: ​While we have not raised this issue with the Israeli authorities, the British Government has made clear to the Government of Israel our concerns about the humanitarian and environmental impact of the damage to water sources and the destruction of Palestinian agricultural land that has been caused by settlement-related building activity. We deplore the destruction of Palestinian property and have called on the Israeli Government to cease such activity.

Internet: British Overseas Territories

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there are any British Overseas Territories, other than the British Indian Ocean Territory, that have their own domain name; and what part they played in approving the identity of the registry operator for any such domain.

baroness anelay of st johns: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Gibraltar: Sovereignty

lord northbrook: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to seek support from other EU member states for the UK's position on Gibraltar.

baroness anelay of st johns: Her Majesty's Government is committed to effective international representation of Gibraltar’s interests. This includes working actively in the EU, in close consultation with the Government of Gibraltar, to ensure that Gibraltar’s priorities are understood by the EU institutions and EU Member States.

China: Diplomatic Relations

lord northbrook: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to strengthen diplomatic relations with China.

baroness anelay of st johns: The UK-China relationship is strong, growing, and delivering benefits for both countries. During the State Visit of President Xi Jinping in October 2015 we established a Comprehensive Strategic Global Partnership for the 21st Century. Through this partnership we are working together to tackle global challenges, build our economies for the future, and deepen our people to people links.The strength of our relationship is demonstrated by the breadth and depth of high level dialogue between our two countries. We have annual high-level Ministerial dialogues on global strategic issues, economic and financial issues, and on our people to people links (covering a range of issues such as education, health, culture and innovation). These are underpinned by a wide range of other dialogues, covering issues such as security, human rights, energy and foreign policy. These dialogues enable us to deliver benefits for the prosperity aims and global agendas of both our countries. They also allow us to discuss issues such as cyber and human rights, because a strong, mature relationship means we can have open and constructive discussion on all subjects, including where we might not agree.The UK Government has five posts in mainland China, making it our largest overseas network by staff numbers. We also have full time staff based in a number of China's regional cities that have the highest growth potential.

Hong Kong: Politics and Government

lord northbrook: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they last made representations to the government of China regarding democracy in Hong Kong.

baroness anelay of st johns: ​The Minister for Asia and the Pacific discussed the importance of political reform in Hong Kong with Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister, Liu Haixing, on 16 February in Beijing; and in his meeting with Wang Yongqing, Secretary-General of the Central Commission for Politics and Law, in London on 17 February.

Middle East: Crimes against Humanity

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect prosecution of those alleged to be responsible for genocide and war crimes in Iraq and Syria will begin.

baroness anelay of st johns: ​We are committed to ensuring that those responsible for the most serious crimes of international concern in Iraq and Syria are held to account. The new International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism for Syria, which we co-sponsored, will help collate the necessary evidence for future prosecutions. This complements our support to the existing UN Commission of Inquiry and our funding for the collection of documentary evidence. Meanwhile, investigative and prosecutorial work is already underway across the world to bring Daesh to justice. We are working with the Government of Iraq and other international partners to identify ways to take this work forward, including at the UN, as well as funding projects and specialist organisations to gather and preserve evidence of Daesh atrocities.

Middle East: Military Intervention

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Turkey about reports of the aerial bombardment on 25 April in Derek in Northern Syria and Shingal in Iraq, which may have affected Yazidi people located in those areas.

baroness anelay of st johns: As a close ally and partner, we regularly discuss the situation in northern Syria and northern Iraq with the Turkish government. Turkey has a legitimate right to defend itself against the PKK. We have encouraged Turkey to work closely with Global Coalition partners, the Iraqi government and Kurdistan Region of Iraq in order to combat terrorist organisations like the PKK and Daesh.

Middle East: Military Intervention

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what information they have about the number and condition of casualties following reports of an aerial bombardment on 25 April in Derek in Northern Syria and in Shingal in Iraq.

baroness anelay of st johns: Turkey has a legitimate right to defend itself against the PKK. We regret the reported death and injury of several members of the Peshmerga from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

Iraq: Military Intervention

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Turkey about the aerial bombardment by Turkish forces on 25 April in Iraq's Sinjar region.

baroness anelay of st johns: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Iraq: Military Intervention

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the number of casualties following the aerial bombardment by Turkish forces on 25 April in Iraq's Sinjar region; and what assessment they have made of the condition of those casualties.

baroness anelay of st johns: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Israel: Bedouin

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to call for prompt and full payment of compensation in cases of death, personal injury, demolition of buildings or confiscation of property which are established to have been caused by the Israeli authorities in the "unrecognised villages" in (1) the Negev, and (2) elsewhere in Israel; and whether they will seek the agreement of the US and the EU to any such call.

baroness anelay of st johns: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe

baroness northover: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they will take in the light of the decision of the Supreme Court in Iran not to free dual British-Iranian national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe; and whether they will publicly call for her release.

baroness anelay of st johns: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

North Africa: EU Immigration

the earl of sandwich: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made in implementing the EU’s Khartoum Process in North Africa; and what resources have been committed to date.

baroness anelay of st johns: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Bahrain: Torture

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the finding of the UN Special Rapporteurs on Summary Executions, Torture and the Independence of Judges and Lawyers that the conduct of the Bahrain Ombudsman for the Ministry of Interior in investigating the torture of Mohamed Ramadhan and Husain Moosa raises concerns regarding the Ombudsman’s independence, professionalism and thoroughness.

baroness anelay of st johns: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Bahrain: Torture

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the risk that Mohamed Ramadhan and Husain Moosa will be executed in Bahrain while the Bahraini Special Investigations Unit’s investigation into their torture allegations is ongoing.

baroness anelay of st johns: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Bahrain: Torture

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the refusal of the Bahrain Ombudsman to release the details of his investigation into Mohamed Ramadhan and Husain Moosa’s torture allegations to the alleged victims and their lawyers.

baroness anelay of st johns: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

China: Trade Promotion

lord wei: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the statement by the Prime Minister’s spokesman on 7 February that she would be visiting China later this year to discuss trade ties, what progress they have made in arranging that visit.

baroness anelay of st johns: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Chechnya: LGBT People

lord cashman: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, following reports of the arrest, detention, torture and alleged murder of gay men in Chechnya, whether they will undertake discussion in the EU Council of Ministers and with the EU High Representative to explore what action can be taken to resolve that situation, including the release of those detained; whether they will call for an independent investigation into those responsible for the detention, torture and alleged murders; and whether they will discuss in the Council and with the EU High Representative punitive action, including a travel ban, should the issue not be resolved swiftly.

baroness anelay of st johns: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Department for Education

Children: Disability

baroness bertin: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what they are doing to support the provision by children's services of short breaks for families with disabled children.

baroness bertin: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether the obligations set out in the Breaks for Carers of Disabled Children Regulations 2011 are currently being met by local authorities; and if not, what action they plan to take.

baroness bertin: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that local authorities are transparent when setting and implementing eligibility criteria for providing short breaks for families with disabled children.

lord nash: Since 2011, local authorities have been under a duty to provide a range of short breaks services and to publish a local Short Breaks Duty Statement showing what services are available, how they are responding to the needs of local parents and carers, and how short breaks can be accessed, including any eligibility criteria. Local authorities are required to consult with local parents and carers while producing this statement. Local authorities are responsible for funding this short breaks provision. 60% of local authorities who responded to a survey on the implementation of the SEND reforms in May 2016 said they planned to spend the same on short breaks provision in 2016-17 as they did in 2015-16, with 11% planning on spending more. 73% said they had consulted families on any planned changes to short breaks services. The Government is able to oversee how much local authorities have spent on short breaks provision through authorities’ annual section 251 returns. This information can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/section-251-2016-to-2017 The Department offers support and challenge to local authorities to help make sure they meet all of their statutory requirements on SEND, and that quality of provision continues to improve. There are also opportunities through the new Ofsted/Care Quality Commission SEND inspections framework for local areas to consider how well they are providing for the education, health and care needs of those with SEND, including their need for short breaks services. Between April 2015 and March 2016, we awarded £250,555 to the Short Breaks Partnership (a consortium made up of Contact a Family, the Council for Disabled Children, Action for Children, and KIDS) to provide information and advice to those involved in designing, commissioning, providing, and taking up short breaks for disabled children.

Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education

lord northbourne: To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the most recent Ofsted publications setting out the various issues to be taught in (1) personal, social and health education, and (2) sex and relationship education, in secondary schools make no reference to preparing pupils for future responsibilities as parents.

lord nash: It is not Ofsted’s role to issue guidance to schools on the content of any aspect of the curriculum. Schools are required to provide a broad and balanced curriculum, and personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) and sex and relationships education can contribute to this. The Department has issued guidance on sex and relationships education that sets out how schools should approach the teaching of this subject. All state-funded schools who teach sex education must have regard to this guidance. The Department has not provided guidance on PSHE as this is a non-statutory subject. Schools are free to determine the content of their curriculum, but can use the materials developed by the PSHE Association to support this. These materials include giving pupils the opportunity to learn about the roles and responsibilities of parents, carers and children in families.The Children and Social Work Bill contains provisions relating to Relationships Education for primary schools, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) for secondary schools, and personal, social, health and economic education for primary and secondary schools. In March, the Government published a Policy Statement which sets out likely subject content, including family relationships. The policy statement can be accessed via this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-rse-and-pshe Regulations and guidance for Relationships Education and RSE will be produced and the regulations will be laid before Parliament for debate and a vote. The Bill’s provisions also create a power enabling the Secretary of State to make regulations in the future requiring PSHE be taught in all schools in England: primary and secondary, maintained and academy. This is subject to decision-making following careful consideration.

Apprentices: Child Benefit

lord watson of invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the statement by the Minister for Apprenticeships and Skills on 19 April (HC Deb, col 713), how they calculated the figure of £200 million per annum, by 2020–21, as the extra cost of enabling parents of apprentices aged under 20 to continue to be eligible for child benefit.

lord nash: As stated in my response to the Noble Lord on 25th April, I agreed to write to him in response to this question. The estimate was based on Child Benefit rates and projected numbers of Apprenticeships. It was not certified by the OBR.

Universities: Refugees

lord fink: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many university places were awarded to people with refugee status in the UK in each year between 2010 and 2016.

viscount younger of leckie: Information on the number of people with refugee status who were awarded a university place via the UCAS system or who are enrolled at UK universities is not held by the department.Student support is available to those recognised as refugees (and their spouses, civil partners and children named on the initial application for asylum), provided they have been ordinarily resident in the British Islands since being recognised by the Government as a refugee and are ordinarily resident in England on the first day of the first academic year of the course. They are exempt from the three year residence requirement.Asylum seekers who are recognised as refugees after the start of their course may qualify for support for the remainder of their studies as follows:living cost support in any subsequent years of the course (and in the quarters following the award in the year of the award); andfee assistance in any subsequent years of the course (and in the year of the award if the award is made within three months of the first day of the academic year of the course).Management information from the SLC showing the number of refugee applicants awarded loans in England in each of the last six years can be found in the table below:   English Domiciled applicants with a refugee status awarded student loans Academic years 2010/11 to 2015/16 (data effective as at the end of each academic year) Academic YearNumber of refugees awarded loans2010/112,5002011/123,0002012/133,7002013/143,8002014/153,9002015/163,700  Source: SLC, Management InformationNote: Awards do not necessarily translate into payments. An awarded applicant will only receive payments once SLC has received confirmation from the student’s provider at the start of the academic year that the student has been registered on the course.

Ministry of Justice

Sexual Offences: Criminal Injuries Compensation

lord campbell-savours: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much was paid in compensation to persons subject to (1) rape, and (2) other sexual offences, by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board in each of the last five years; how many claims were made in each of those years in relation to those offences; and, of those claims, how many were successful.

lord keen of elie: The Criminal Injuries Compensation Schemes contain a tariff of injuries in which payments are ascribed to particular injuries or offences. The Schemes provide that, in respect of sexual offences, the applicant may be entitled either to an award under the tariff that reflects the nature of the sexual offence or an award for the mental injury caused by the offence, whichever leads to the highest award. The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) administers the Schemes.

Winchester Prison

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the number of staff at HMP Winchesteradequately trained in suicide and self-harm prevention has only increased from 41 per cent to 61 per cent since July 2015; and if so why.

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect all staff at HMP Winchester to be adequately trained in suicide and self-harm prevention.

lord keen of elie: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. The Minister will correspond directly with the Peer.

Prisoners: Suicide

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the proportion of staff in all custodial institutions who are adequately trained in suicide and self-harm prevention.

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the estimated annual expenditure on suicide and self-harm prevention training across the custodial system (1) in gross terms, and (2) per capita, in relation to (a) officers, and (b) prisoners.

lord keen of elie: All staff in contact with prisoners are required to receive training on suicide and self-harm prevention. We have also developed a new ‘Introduction to Suicide and Self-Harm Prevention’ course that includes a module on mental health awareness. From May 2017 this will be provided as part of the entry level training for new prison officers, and nearly three hundred trainers have been trained to facilitate its delivery in prisons as refresher training for existing staff. We do not hold centrally the amount spent in all prisons on suicide and self-harm prevention training.

Prisoners: Suicide

the lord bishop of st albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Keen of Elie on 3 April (HL6247), what are the measures that will be put in place to help support prisoners who are at risk of self-harm or suicide.

lord keen of elie: The Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) process is the multi-disciplinary case management system that is used to provide support for prisoners assessed as being at risk of self-harm or suicide. We are committed to improving the support that we offer to prisoners at risk. We expect the most important and effective measures to be the recruitment of 2,500 new staff, and the introduction of new offender management arrangements in prisons under which each key worker will have particular responsibility for a small number of prisoners. These will greatly enhance the time and resources available to support prisoners who are at risk. We continue to work in partnership with the Samaritans to provide the Listener scheme, through which volunteer prisoners are trained to provide support to other prisoners in emotional distress. Additional grant funding for the Samaritans in 2017-18 will facilitate a number of improvements to that scheme and some other initiatives, including a pilot project to provide training on building emotional resilience for prisoners in their early days in custody, to be delivered by released ex-Listeners. Other measures are being developed as part of our safety programme, which includes specific strands of work on the early days in custody, the case management of prisoners at risk, and building hopefulness amongst prisoners, including through family and peer support.

Business: Fraud

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the timetable for publishing their response to their call for evidence on corporate liability for economic crime.

lord keen of elie: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Legal Services Board: Public Appointments

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will commence the appointment process for the position of chair of the Legal Services Board which becomes vacant at the end of April.

lord keen of elie: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. The Minister will correspond directly with the Peer.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to clarify with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) the extent to which ICANN has a duty of care to children,and in particular the degree to which it has a duty to minimise the possibility of (1) the worldwide web being used to advertise the availability of or distribute child abuse images, and (2) of paedophiles being able to buy, operate or work for, domains that are expressly established to attract children.

lord ashton of hyde: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Internet: Regulation

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to require that all internet domain registries that are recognised by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority follow the policies adopted by Nominet, the registry for the .uk domain.

lord ashton of hyde: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

UN Convention for Protection of Cultural Property in Event of Armed Conflict

the earl of clancarty: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they plan to ratify (1) the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, and (2) the Protocols to that Convention of 1954 and 1999, as enabled by the Cultural Property (Armed Conflicts) Act 2017.

lord ashton of hyde: We plan to ratify the Convention and accede to the Protocols at the earliest opportunity once the instruments of ratification and accession have been signed by Her Majesty The Queen and finalised ready for deposit with UNESCO.

Disadvantaged

lord wei: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made on the implementation of the Life Chances programme; and what are their future plans for the Life Chances Fund.

lord ashton of hyde: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Pesticides

baroness jones of moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the recommendations of the March 2017 report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food on pesticide use in agriculture, what steps they are taking to protect rural residents and communities from the detrimental health impact of pesticides.

lord gardiner of kimble: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 27 April 2017.The correct answer should have been:

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.Pesticides can only be sold and used if they are authorised. Authorisation is only granted if scientific data demonstrate that the proposed use of the pesticide will not have any harmful effects on human health or any unacceptable effect on the environment. The assessment of risks to human health takes account of the potential for exposure of rural residents.

lord gardiner of kimble: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.Pesticides can only be sold and used if they are authorised. Authorisation is only granted if scientific data demonstrate that the proposed use of the pesticide will not have any harmful effects on human health or any unacceptable effect on the environment. The assessment of risks to human health takes account of the potential for exposure of rural residents.

Supermarkets: Marketing

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what evidence they have that UK supermarkets sell products using the names of non-existent farms and other businesses.

lord gardiner of kimble: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 27 April 2017.The correct answer should have been:

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.Brand names can be used but this must be done in line with the Food Information for Consumers Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 which prohibits food labelling from misleading the consumer. The way that product brands influence consumers’ choices will vary between cases, depending on the circumstances. Enforcement authorities will take action if there is evidence that a food business operator is labelling food in a way that is misleading.

lord gardiner of kimble: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.Brand names can be used but this must be done in line with the Food Information for Consumers Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 which prohibits food labelling from misleading the consumer. The way that product brands influence consumers’ choices will vary between cases, depending on the circumstances. Enforcement authorities will take action if there is evidence that a food business operator is labelling food in a way that is misleading.

Fly-tipping

lord laird: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proposals they have to reduce the amount of fly tipping in the UK; and when any such proposals will be introduced.

lord gardiner of kimble: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 27 April 2017.The correct answer should have been:

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.Fly-tipping is unacceptable whether it occurs on public or private land. Not only does it blight the areas in which it occurs but may also pose a risk to the environment and human health. In May 2016 we gave local councils the power to issue fixed penalty notices of up to £400 for small-scale fly-tipping as an alternative to more costly prosecutions. This built on other action to tackle fly-tipping, including: working with the sentencing Council on its sentencing guideline for environmental offences; making it easier for vehicles suspected of being involved in waste crime to be stopped, searched and seized; continuing to chair the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group to promote and disseminate good practice for tackling fly-tipping; strengthening the waste Duty of Care by publishing a revised Code of Practice and supporting the industry-led Right Waste Right Place campaign to promote Duty of Care to small businesses.

lord gardiner of kimble: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.Fly-tipping is unacceptable whether it occurs on public or private land. Not only does it blight the areas in which it occurs but may also pose a risk to the environment and human health. In May 2016 we gave local councils the power to issue fixed penalty notices of up to £400 for small-scale fly-tipping as an alternative to more costly prosecutions. This built on other action to tackle fly-tipping, including: working with the sentencing Council on its sentencing guideline for environmental offences; making it easier for vehicles suspected of being involved in waste crime to be stopped, searched and seized; continuing to chair the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group to promote and disseminate good practice for tackling fly-tipping; strengthening the waste Duty of Care by publishing a revised Code of Practice and supporting the industry-led Right Waste Right Place campaign to promote Duty of Care to small businesses.

Home Office

ClearSprings Group

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to assess the condition of premises provided by Clearsprings Ready Homes Ltd to accommodate refugees and asylum seekers; and how many asylum seekers are currently housed by Clearsprings Ready Homes Ltd.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office is committed to protecting the rights of all asylum seekers and providing those who are destitute with safe, secure accommodation. There is a rigorous contract compliance regime in place to ensure that the required performance standards are met; this includes regular inspections. Clearsprings Ready Homes is required to inspect all of their properties each month and the Home Office inspects over a third of the property portfolio each year. Where property does not meet the required standards there are strict time limits on resolving the defects; failure to meet those time limits can result in service credits being applied.Clearsprings Ready Homes deliver services in London and the South of England Region and Wales. The Home Office publishes quarterly figures on the number of asylum seekers housed in dispersed accommodation, including under Section 95, by region in the Immigration Statistics release, in table as_16q and 17q in volume 4 of the Asylum data tables. These are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-july-to-september-2016/list-of-tables#asylum 



16q and 17q - Vol 4 - Asylum Data Tables 
(Excel SpreadSheet, 2.95 MB)

Security Guards: Regulation

lord harris of haringey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they next intend to review the regulations issued under the Private Security Industry Act 2002; and what representations they have received about those regulations from (1) the Security Industry Authority, (2) bodies representing security companies, including those representing the smaller security companies, and (3) bodies representing security officers.

baroness williams of trafford: Regulation of the private security industry was included within the scope of the recent review of the Security Industry Authority, which sought evidence from the industry. The Government’s response to the review may include measures requiring a review of regulations issued.

Entry Clearances: India

lord green of deddington: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford (HL6314), how many Indian nationals were applicants for (1) visas for study using sponsor acceptances, and (2) visas for study at UK-based Higher Education Institutions, in each year from 2005 to 2010.

baroness williams of trafford: I am sorry but the information is not held in the format requested.The available information on the number of applications for visas for study using sponsor acceptances, by country of nationality, and corresponding information for applicants sponsored by UK-based Higher Education Institutions, is published in the quarterly Immigration Statistics, Sponsorship tables cs_11, cs_11_q, cs_13 and cs_13_q. The latest edition is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-october-to-december-2016/list-of-tables#sponsorship



Sponsorship Tables - cs11, cs_11, c_13 and cs13q 
(Excel SpreadSheet, 135.13 KB)

Refugees

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will (1) permit, and (2) encourage, persons resident in the UK to sponsor close relations with refugee status to enter the UK for family reunion.

baroness williams of trafford: The family reunion policy allows those with refugee status or humanitarian protection to sponsor their partner and children under 18 to join them in the UK, if they formed part of their family unit before the sponsor fled their country. Those granted refugee status or humanitarian protection are advised about their entitlement to family reunion when they receive their status. There is information on Gov.UK for those wishing to sponsor family members to come to the UK: https://www.gov.uk/join-family-in-uk/overview.

Business: Human Rights

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to introduce legislation to enable prosecution of a parent company where human rights abuses are found further down the supply chain, as recommended by the Joint Committee on Human Rights in its report Human Rights and Business 2017: Promoting responsibility and ensuring accountability published on 29 March (6th Report, HL Paper 153).

baroness williams of trafford: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Business: Human Rights

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to introduce a new criminal offence of failure to prevent human rights abuses, as recommended by the Joint Committee on Human Rights in its report Human Rights and Business 2017: Promoting responsibility and ensuring accountability published on 29 March (6th Report, HL Paper 153).

baroness williams of trafford: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Slavery

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty’s Governmentwhether they are planning to require public bodies to include a statement on slavery and human trafficking in their annual report and accounts.

baroness williams of trafford: Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act was designed to shine a light on action that private sector organisations are taking to prevent slavery in their supply chains. Public bodies are subject to different transparency and accountability arrangements. We have added a question to the cross-government procurement selection questionnaire, so that we can assess whether would-be suppliers to HMG are compliant with the Modern Slavery Act. We are also considering whether further steps are needed to support public bodies to do more.

Slavery

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they plan to publish a list of companies that are required to report under the transparency in supply chains provisions of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

baroness williams of trafford: Every year, thousands of businesses will be required to publish a statement on the action they have taken to prevent slavery in their business and supply chains. We are considering what more the Government can do to amplify the value of company statements to customers, shareholders, investors and activists.

Entry Clearances: Nepal

the earl of sandwich: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Nepalese university students entered the UK during each of the last five years for the purposes of (1) higher education, and (2) further education; and how many were returned (a) for illegal entry, and (b) at the end of their course.

baroness williams of trafford: The available information relates to student admissions under Tier 4 and in the short term study (previously ‘student visitor) category, by nationality, published in the quarterly Immigration Statistics, Admissions table ad_03 on the .GOV.UK website and via the library of the HouseOver time the data obtained through exit checks will contribute to the statistical picture. This level of detail is not yet available.



Table - Admissions Table ad_03 
(Excel SpreadSheet, 10.66 KB)

Domestic Violence

lord smith of hindhead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many incidents of domestic violence against (1) women, and (2) men, were recorded in 2016.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office does not hold the information requested centrally.Information on domestic violence and abuse can be found in the Domestic Abuse in England and Wales statistical publication, which is available here:www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/bulletins/domesticabuseinenglandandwales/yearendingmarch2016#information-recorded-by-the-police



ONS Report - Crime and Justice - Domestic Abuse - 
(PDF Document, 1.66 MB)

Domestic Violence

lord smith of hindhead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many incidents of domestic violence against women were recorded as having occurred in the workplace in 2016.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office does not hold the information requested centrally.Information on domestic violence and abuse can be found in the Domestic Abuse in England and Wales statistical publication, which is available here:https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/bulletins/domesticabuseinenglandandwales/yearendingmarch2016#information-recorded-by-the-police



ONS Report - Domestice Abuse Report - March 2016
(PDF Document, 1.66 MB)

Domestic Violence: Convictions

lord smith of hindhead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many convictions for domestic violence against (1) women, and (2) men, were obtained in 2016.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office does not hold the information requested centrally.Information on domestic violence and abuse can be found in the Domestic Abuse in England and Wales statistical publication, which is available here:https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/bulletins/domesticabuseinenglandandwales/yearendingmarch2016#information-recorded-by-the-police



ONS Report - Domestic Abuse Report - March 2016
(PDF Document, 1.66 MB)

HM Treasury

Productivity

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effect of Brexit on the UK's GDP per hour worked, in comparison to (1) Germany, (2) France, and (3) Italy.

baroness neville-rolfe: The Government has made no assessment of the effect of leaving the EU on the UK’s GDP per hour worked compared to that of other countries.

Chewing Gum: Taxation

lord moonie: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to the introduction of a tax on chewing gum to be used to fund local authority clean-up programmes for discarded gum.

baroness neville-rolfe: The Government published the Litter Strategy for England on 10 April. The Strategy sets out a range of measures to tackle litter, which includes chewing gum, and littering behaviour. HM Treasury has not given consideration to the introduction of a tax on chewing gum.

Motor Vehicles: Taxation

lord moonie: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the total amount of taxation raised from road users in all forms related to their road use, including through VAT and other duties, in the last financial year for which figures are available.

baroness neville-rolfe: The information requested is not available. HM Revenue and Customs do not hold such detailed data on VAT, for example.

Charities: Taxation

lord vinson: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to review the application of the Common Reporting Standard to small charities, including Parochial Church Councils, that are currently obliged to complete Tax Jurisdiction Entity Certification in the same manner as financial institutions, in the light of the considerable cost of doing so, and of the lack of any de minimis exemption for small donations; and if so, when.

baroness neville-rolfe: The Common Reporting Standard (CRS) is the global standard for the exchange of financial account information and any changes would need to be agreed internationally. Under the CRS financial institutions, including some charities, are required to obtain and report tax residence information of their account holders. The information that tax authorities will receive under the CRS, including that on distributions from charities, is a vital part of global efforts to tackle offshore tax evasion and increase tax transparency. Consistent implementation of the CRS by all adopting jurisdictions is important to create a level playing field and to ensure that avoidance loopholes are not created. Officials in HM Revenue and Customs are working closely with charity sector representatives to minimise the compliance burden.

Financial Services: Fines

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty’s Government on which occasions the Financial Conduct Authority imposed a financial penalty on a firm or individual since 2007.

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Financial Conduct Authority (1) has taken disciplinary action against individuals since 2007 and if so how many; and (2) whether records are kept of those individuals or firms who faced disciplinary action after a fine was imposed.

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty’s Government in how many instances since 2007 the Financial Conduct Authority has increased a financial penalty as a result of a firm failing to take the disciplinary action required by the Authority.

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many times the powers in the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 to impose requirements on firms to change their behaviour have been used and whether they will list each occasion and what requirements were requested.

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of the financial penalties imposed by the Financial Conduct Authority since 2007 have been accompanied by the use of powers in the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 to require changes to a firm's or individual’s behaviour.

baroness neville-rolfe: Information on the FCA’s enforcement powers and its policy on financial penalties is set out in detail in the enforcement section of their website, and in their Handbook. We have passed Lord Mendelsohn’s questions on to the FCA, who will reply directly to him by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Cabinet Office

Public Sector: Procurement

baroness mcgregor-smith: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the report by Gary Sturgess Just Another Paperclip? Rethinking the Market for Complex Public Services, published by the Business Services Association on 31 March.

lord young of cookham: In considering the long-term provision of public services via third-party contracts, the Government Chief Commercial Officer must work with Departments to address the five points made in Dr Sturgess’s report: sustainability, relationships, contracting process, capability and allocation of risks. It is recognised that much needs to be done; but recent progress has been rapid with the introduction of commercial operating standards, a central recruitment hub backed by an Assessment Centre, and more attractive remuneration for commercial specialists. The system of commercial standards drives adherence to policy, and departmental and functional governance ensure our commercial behaviours are on-market and sustainable.

Government Departments: Procurement

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to exclude from government procurement contracts companies that do not undertake appropriate human rights due diligence, as recommended by the Joint Committee on Human Rights in its report Human Rights and Business 2017: Promoting responsibility and ensuring accountability published on 29 March (6th Report, HL Paper 153).

lord young of cookham: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Public Sector: Procurement

lord campbell of pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proposals they have for co-operation between the UK and other EU member states on joint procurement after Brexit.

lord young of cookham: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Department for International Trade

European Fighter Aircraft: Trade Promotion

lord campbell of pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to promote sales of Typhoon aircraft to other countries.

lord price: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Department of Health

NHS: Directors

baroness mcintosh of hudnall: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many non-medicaldirectors employed in NHS Hospital Trusts and NHS England earn more than the Prime Minister.

lord o'shaughnessy: There are 361 non-medical directors employed by either foundation or non-foundation National Health Service hospital trusts who earned more than £142,500, the prime minister’s salary in 2015, in the 12 months to the end of December 2016. The data produced by NHS Digital is based on total earnings which is basic salary plus any additional payments. NHS England employs 17 non-medical directors who earn more than £142,500 and the data produced by NHS England is based on basic pay and has been adjusted for part-time hours. The term non-medical directors has been defined as those having a job role as a director or chief executive and does not include non-executive directors, medical directors or those staff with a medical occupation code.

Chiropody

lord bradley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to regulate the use of the description chiropodist in relation to the advertising of services to the public.

lord o'shaughnessy: The practise of chiropody is regulated by the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC). Anyone wanting to use the title of chiropodist must be registered with the HCPC. A person who is not registered and either misuses the title, claims they are registered or claims they have chiropody qualifications, whether expressly or by implication, is committing an offence.

Smoking: Mental Illness

lord rennard: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the Smoking Prevalence in Adults with Serious Mental Illness Data Set presented in the Clinical Commissioning Group Outcomes Indicators Set will be published.

lord o'shaughnessy: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Smoking: Mental Illness

lord rennard: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they are analysing data on smoking status captured in the Mental Health and Learning Disability Data Set; and whether all users of those services will be asked about their smoking status in the future.

lord o'shaughnessy: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Smoking: Mental Illness

lord rennard: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish data captured within the Mental Health and Learning Disability Data Set on smoking status.

lord o'shaughnessy: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Smoking: Mental Health Services

lord rennard: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans have been made to assess whether Mental Health Trusts will have become smoke free by 2018, in line with the recommendation in the Mental Health Taskforce Report; and when progress towards this ambition will be published.

lord o'shaughnessy: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Domestic Violence

lord smith of hindhead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many NHS hospital admissions were recorded as being the result of domestic violence in 2016.

lord o'shaughnessy: It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.